Decision on the Reform of the United Nations Security Council – Doc. Assembly/AU/9(XXIX)

Jurisdiction
African Regional Bodies · African Union (AU)
Citation
Assembly/AU/Dec.648(XXIX)
Regional Body / Author
Assembly of the African Union
Date
4 July 2017
Language
English
Type
Decision
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DECISION ON THE REFORM OF THE UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL
Doc. Assembly/AU/9(XXIX)

The Assembly,

  1. TAKES NOTE of the 19th Report of the Committee of Ten Heads of State and Government on the Reform of the United Nations Security Council;

  2. REITERATES the need to reform the United Nations to conform to the present geopolitical realities, in particular, the need to address Africa’s non representation in the Permanent Category of the UN Security Council and its under-representation in the Non-permanent category;

  3. ACKNOWLEDGES WITH APPRECIATION the progress made by the C10 in advocating and canvassing support for the Common African Position as outlined in the Ezulwini Consensus and the 2005 Sirte Declaration on the United Nations Security Council Reform;

  4. WELCOMES in that regard, the growing acceptance of the legitimacy of the Common African Position, which underscores that Africa deserves a place in the Permanent Category of the United Nations Security Council;

  5. REAFFIRMS its strong commitment to the Common African Position espoused in the Ezulwini Consensus and the Sirte Declaration as the only viable option for Africa’s full representation at the UN Security Council;

  6. REITERATES that full representation of Africa in the United Nations Security Council means:

  1. Not less than two (02) permanent seats with all the prerogatives and privileges of permanent membership including the right of veto;

  2. Five (05) non-permanent seats;

  3. that the African Union reserves the right to select its representatives for election to the UN Security Council to act in its name and on its behalf;

  4. that all African Union Member States should remain firmly committed to preserving Africa’s unity and solidarity on all aspects of the reform process of the UNSC, including participation within and outside the intergovernmental negotiations, AND to continue to speak cohesively with one voice in unity of purpose on all aspects of the reform process;

  5. that the African Union Member States in New York with dual membership should withdraw such membership from all other Interest Groups, in order to

further consolidate the Common African Position as contained in the Ezulwini consensus and the Sirte Declaration;

  1. REQUESTS

  1. the Committee of Ten to heighten its engagement with all Interest Groups, and stakeholders, including the Five Permanent members of the Security Council with a view to achieving tangible progress on the UN Security Council reform process;

  2. the Committee of Ten to develop a comprehensive strategy to consolidate gains made so far, as well as further engagement with a view to achieve tangible progress;

  3. AU Member States to include the issue of the UN Security Council reform among their foreign policy priorities in their engagements with non-African partners, in particular, the need to correct without further delay, the historical injustice that the African continent continues to endure;

  4. all AU Member States, to include in their respective National statements at the opening of the 72nd Session of the United Nations General Assembly in September 2017, the call for a comprehensive reform of the UN Security Council with emphasis on the urgent need to address the demands of the Common African Position,

  1. DECIDES

  1. that the Common African Position on the reform of the UN Security Council shall be a strategic item on the Assembly’s Agenda and Work Plan, and in this regard, REQUESTS the Commission to facilitate the work of the C-10 for the fulfilment of the Committee’s mandate;

  2. that the Committee of Ten remains seized of its mandate until Africa achieves its objectives on the UNSC Reform.

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